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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27188990">the one</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sooshidamachi/pseuds/sooshidamachi'>sooshidamachi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ITZY (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 22:35:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27188990</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sooshidamachi/pseuds/sooshidamachi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>we were something, don't you think so?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Chaeryeong/Shin Ryujin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the one</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wasn't entirely sure if I should upload this, but eh, let there be ryuryeong</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was another rough day, and it wasn’t even noon yet. The sun shining a little too bright didn’t help, neither did too little sleep with too much coffee</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span> but it doesn’t stop her from walking to her favorite coffee shop for another large Americano, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The glimpse of cotton candy hair at the bus stop across the street however, made her halt in her tracks completely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinks once, twice, then waits for the bus to pass before her shoulders sag in relief</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span> or was it disappointment?</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span> when she saw the empty stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, didn't think so, too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it woke up her spirit a little more; got her heart pounding a little harder with each step on the pavement. She eases a little when the scent of coffee hits her alongside the airconditioning when she opens the glass doors; eyes closed to take in the atmosphere before her ears pick up a too familiar chuckle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Some things never change, eh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turns around and sees a being who has blonde hair instead of pink, but with the same whisker dimples and eye smile she still very much adores.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryujin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chaeryeong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chuckle still tickles her heart. “Yeah, and so are you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look exhausted, though,” she points out and Ryeong responds with a weak smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wednesdays are never really my best friend.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But coffee always was,” she says with a light hearted tone. “Large Americano, right? Go get us a seat, I’ll treat you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chaeryeong opened her mouth to protest but Ryujin is already pushing her towards the tables while walking to the counter, even throwing in a pout because she’s extra like that and leaves the older with no choice but to surrender. She turns around with a huff, eyes scanning and landing on a too familiar corner with the plush purple seats.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Ryujin accompanies her again, she has more than coffee with her. She puts three of Ryeong’s favorite cupcakes in front of her, who only stares back at the blonde dumbfounded. She just takes a seat across the table, doesn’t make a comment on Ryeong’s choice of seats like the latter can’t form a coherent thought ever since her eyes clashed with her favorite pair again. But Ryujin keeps her cool in almost every situation</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span> even when she met her ex in the coffee shop they both always went to, sitting in the booth they always sat in, drinking and eating their usual orders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, how are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good,” Ryeong almost cringed at how curt she sounded. “I, uh, actually have a new job.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This makes Ryujin look up from her coffee</span>
  <span>. “You finally got out of that useless 9-5?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She takes a sip of her coffee, gulping it down along with some nervousness. “I took up that job you told me to take, that choreographer at one of the dance studios downtown?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde nods in anticipation, beaming bright with pride. She always knew and wanted what’s best for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m actually two months in, and I’ve never been happier about a job my entire life,” Chaeryeong says with a laugh, taking a bite into one of the cupcakes to mask the ruckus of her emotions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s great,” Ryujin says, the smile on her lips never less than genuine. “I knew you would love it there. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were to take over in a year or so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re thinking too highly of me again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never stopped,” she said suddenly, staring into the older’s soul like she always did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chaeryeong could only hope that the rush of blood to her cheeks isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> noticeable, but the way she looks down on her lap and the small, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“thanks,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>that left her mouth feels like when they first started dating. There’s a punch of nostalgia to her stomach, but she fights through it as she meets Ryujin’s eyes again, the facade in her voice more convincing this time— but who is she trying to convince, exactly?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about you? Anything exciting going on in your life?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon; you be the judge,” they both chuckle a bit. “I’m actually in the city for an interview</span>
  <span> at Asan Medical— </span>
  <span>they’re offering me a position.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryeong almost chokes on her coffee. “You were offered a position at South Korea’s best hospital?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryujin shrugs it off like it’s nothing, and probably treats it like it, too. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This humble little monkey.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nevermind about that,” she says, looking through the glass panes and at the nearby park before meeting Chaeryeong’s eyes again. “Do you want to take a walk in the park? You know, like old times.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or are you enjoying the hours at your new job a little too much?” she says with a teasing chuckle. The older rolls her eyes and flicks a crumb at her companion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always have time for my ex-girlfriend,” she doesn’t know how to feel about that statement she just said aloud, but Ryujin thinks none of it apparently, because she just laughed a little harder.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The grass is still the same shade of green, the flowers still smelled the same, and even the way the sunlight hits the trees is the same; everything feels too familiar; even the way Ryujin was running like a child over to the fountain at the center of the park. It swarmed Chaeryeong's stomach with butterflies like it did a few years ago, the smile pulling on her lips was bittersweet as she walked over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, remember when we went to Paris for that dance competition back in college?” Ryujin asked when she felt Ryeong finally joining her. She was staring at the water. “We threw whatever coins we had in every fountain we found.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we wasted about ten Euros on doing that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but we had fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something tells Chaeryeong that her ex wasn’t just pertaining to the money wasting effort of throwing coins at random fountains</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span> but the latter was already shoving her hands in her pockets, eyes still not looking over at the former.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I went back there around a month after we broke up,” Ryujin suddenly said when the silence stretched for a bit too long. “Dad had a medical seminar thingy and he wanted me to come with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you waste another ten Euros throwing coins in fountains?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that so wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You threw money into something useless— quite literally, in fact— so, yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s what makes Ryujin look at her. “Didn’t the fountains grant your wishes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, because my wishes came true the moment I met you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Chaeryeong wanted to say. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But every magic spell wears off, right?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did they grant yours?" she says instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryujin just stares at her for a moment, and for once in this entire encounter, Ryeong doesn't shy away from her gaze. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She genuinely wants to know.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...they did." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then yes," the older says. "The fountains did grant my wishes." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stood there enveloped in silence once more; not minding the heat, a staring contest with the fountain suddenly commencing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We really were something, huh?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chaeryeong hummed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Were.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't have any regrets, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryujin purses her lips before shaking her head. She looks over at her ex again, before looking down at the palm of her hand and throwing away the spare change she had in it. The chuckle beside her made her feel warm inside— or was it the heat from the sun? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Some things never change, eh?" Chaeryeong echoed her words from the coffee shop earlier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What did you wish for?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That we meet again in another lifetime," Ryujin says, not meeting her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And in that lifetime, you were the one." </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>come find me on Twitter, I'm shinapollo__ and yunacchiato :&gt;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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